Ghent's Go-To: Solid Pours, Great Crab
Ghent · Norfolk · Seafood & American Bistro · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed March 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Tautogs feels exactly like the restaurant itself — comfortable, familiar, and not trying too hard. You're not going to find anything that surprises you, but you're also not going to feel lost. It's the kind of list a seafood bistro in a neighborhood like Ghent earns over years of playing it safe.
The list leans heavily on crowd-pleasing whites, which makes sense for a place built around fresh local seafood and crab cakes. Italy and Oregon are the clearest threads — Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and King Estate Pinot Gris anchor the white side, and Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Chardonnay rounds out the California camp. There's nothing adventurous here — no skin-contact wines, no obscure appellations, no producers you've never heard of — but the bones are solid for a casual seafood night out. The gaps are real though: anyone looking for Riesling, grower Champagne, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere is going home disappointed.
The by-the-glass program appears to mirror the bottle list — familiar faces, approachable styles, nothing that demands a second look. With three confirmed whites pulling from Italy, Oregon, and California, the range covers the basics without much depth or rotation. Don't expect a seasonal pour or a rotating gem to show up on the chalkboard.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Chardonnay — $28
At 56% over retail, this is the least painful markup on the list. It's a known, reliable Chardonnay that drinks cleanly with the seafood-forward menu, and $28 is a number you can live with.
King Estate Pinot Gris '23
Oregon Pinot Gris doesn't get the respect it deserves in a seafood context — it's got more texture and grip than its Italian counterpart and holds up beautifully against briny, buttery dishes. Most tables will reach for the Santa Margherita on autopilot, but this is the smarter move.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio '24
At $27.95 for a bottle you can grab at Total Wine for $15, that's an 87% markup on one of the most ubiquitous restaurant whites in America. It's fine wine — it's always fine — but you're paying a premium for the logo, not the glass.
King Estate Pinot Gris '23 + Crab Cakes
Oregon Pinot Gris brings enough body and subtle stone fruit to complement sweet crab meat without steamrolling it — the wine's light acidity cuts through any richness in the preparation and keeps things lively bite after bite.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Tautogs is a neighborhood staple that earns its loyal following on atmosphere and food first, wine second — and that's fine, as long as you go in knowing what you're getting. Order the Sonoma-Cutrer, skip the Santa Margherita markup, and focus on the crab cakes.
Downtown Norfolk · Norfolk · American
Mermaid Winery is a genuine wine destination that happens to be in Norfolk — and yes, that still surprises us a little. The pricing leans steep and the staff isn't running a Master Sommelier class, but the list is deep where it counts and Wednesday half-price night is one of the better wine deals in the region.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Virginia Beach · Norfolk · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Virginia Beach won't surprise you on wine, and a few markups are hard to forgive, but the depth is real and the by-the-glass program is better than most steakhouses at this price point. If you're here for a special occasion steak and want a bottle that won't embarrass the meal, you'll find it — just avoid the house pours and do a little homework first.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Norfolk · Norfolk · Gourmet Market & Wine Shop
Taste Unlimited is a gourmet market that quietly outclasses most sit-down restaurants on wine curation and blows them out completely on price. If you're in Norfolk and haven't figured out that this is also a wine stop, you've been leaving money on the table.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Governors Pointe · Norfolk · Southern American
Vintage Tavern has no business having a wine list this serious in a suburb of Norfolk — and we mean that as a high compliment. The markups take some of the shine off, but a sommelier on staff, 400 bottles, and a genuine Virginia section make this the best wine destination for miles around.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Norfolk · French
Todd Jurich's Bistro is the most serious wine list in Norfolk, full stop — but you'll pay for that seriousness, especially on the French side. Go for the sommelier's guidance, order the Barboursville, and enjoy the fact that a room this focused on wine exists in downtown Norfolk at all.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Ghent · Norfolk · New American
Varia is doing something genuinely rare in a mid-sized market — building a wine program that would hold its own in Chicago or D.C. The markup isn't always charitable, but the depth, the cruvinet by-the-glass program, and the evident expertise on staff make this one worth the trip across town.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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